CVE-2002-1756 in ACDSee
Summary
by MITRE
ACDSee 4.0 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via an .ais file with a long file description field, which is not properly handled when the file properties of the file are viewed.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1756 represents a classic buffer overflow condition within ACDSee 4.0 software that specifically targets the handling of file description fields in .ais files. This issue demonstrates a fundamental flaw in input validation and memory management practices that were prevalent in software applications during the early 2000s era. The vulnerability occurs when the application attempts to process a maliciously crafted .ais file containing an excessively long file description field, leading to a crash of the application when users attempt to view the file properties. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation as defined by CWE-20, which specifically addresses weaknesses in input handling that can lead to buffer overflows and system instability.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on the application's failure to properly validate the length of the file description field within the .ais file format. When ACDSee 4.0 encounters an .ais file with an extended description field, it attempts to allocate memory for processing this data without adequate bounds checking. This lack of proper boundary validation creates an exploitable condition where an attacker can craft a file with a description field exceeding the allocated buffer size, resulting in memory corruption that ultimately causes the application to crash. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios that can occur when applications fail to validate input lengths before processing. The attack vector is classified as remote since the vulnerability can be triggered without local access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-1756 extends beyond simple application instability to potentially disrupt business operations in environments where ACDSee is used for image management and file handling. Organizations relying on this software for digital asset management could experience service interruptions when users encounter malicious files, leading to productivity losses and potential data access issues. The denial of service condition affects the availability aspect of the CIA triad, as legitimate users cannot access file properties for affected files. This vulnerability particularly impacts environments where users frequently interact with files from untrusted sources, such as email attachments or shared network drives. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks, and represents a primitive form of application-level exploitation that can be easily automated by threat actors seeking to disrupt services.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate software updates and patches provided by the vendor, as well as implementing defensive measures such as file validation and content filtering. Organizations should establish strict file type validation protocols to prevent the processing of potentially malicious .ais files, particularly those originating from untrusted sources. The implementation of sandboxing mechanisms for file preview operations can help isolate the impact of such vulnerabilities, preventing complete application crashes from affecting system stability. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure to potential attackers who might attempt to exploit this vulnerability through file sharing or email systems. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify similar issues in legacy software applications, as this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and memory management practices that remain relevant in modern cybersecurity practices.